Pressing machine for collars



- Dec. 20, 1938. s, STADUB PRESSING MACHINE FOR GOLLARS Filed Dec. 14, 1937 Fiai STEPHEN STA pus \NVENTOR ifv/w W140 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE scum.

My invention relates to machines for pressing collars and has particular reference to machines for pressing or ironing shirt collars especially in the process of their manufacture.

My invention has for its object toprovide a machine for performing several operations required in the manufacture of shirt collars and particularly their ends or points, the operations being performed manually with the help of pedal operated fixtures. In order to facilitate these operations I mount several fixtures on a table with a plurality of pedals adapted to be operated by operators sitting on stools in front of the machine and using both feet each when it is necessary to simultaneously depress two pedals. Two sets of fixtures are provided, one for inverting sewed collars, and the other for pressing the inverted collars. One machine may have several of such sets so that a number of operators can use a single machine which is preferably made round so as to occupy the least space for a given number of operators.

The collar inverting fixture consists of two pointed rods which are advanced against each other when a collar is placed therebetween, a pedal being used for this movement, connected by a rod with the movable pointed rod.

- For pressing the collars I provide a block with an electric heater inside and with a plurality of irons shaped in accordance with the desired form of the collar points, which may be round or pointed. The irons are mounted on rods extending to separate pedals, there being one pedal for each iron. The irons are raised from the heating block by depressing corresponding pedals.

In front of each iron I mount a movable plate for supporting the collar, the plate being movable by a separate pedal for its insertion under the pressing iron.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be obvious from the accompanying specification and drawing in which- Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my machine partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a fractional detail view of the heating and pressing members.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machinepartly in section.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view of the plate moving mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the collar invertingmechanism.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the operative connections between the pressing irons and the pedal.

My machine comprises a table preferably of a round shape I mounted on a standard 2 supported vertically on a base plate 8. A heating 7 block 4 is mounted on top of the table or on the upper extension of the standard 2 and consists 5 of a hollow metal box with a flat plate 5 on top and an electric heating element 5 imbedded in an insulation I. Leads from the element extend to the outside through a detachable plug 8 and socket 9, a switch It being used for disconnect- 10 ing the circuit. A multiple die ii is fitted on top of the plate 5 and is provided with a number of slots l2 corresponding in shape to the points of collars and to corresponding collar supporting plates l3. Pressing or heating blocks II are slidably supported in the slots I2 on the hooked ends of rods 15 passing through the box I and the table I, the lower ends of the rods being connected together by a bar It engaged by the end of a pedal l1 pivoted at It to a pedal frame I9 mounted on the standard 2.

' A cover 20 is mounted on top of the box or block 4 and may be fastened by a screw 2| threaded into the die block ll. Red glass reflecting balls 22 are supported on the cover 20 to indicate that there may be an electric current or heat. The balls may be replaced by red lamps connected in circuit with the switch l0 and adapted to be lighted when the electric heater is connected in circuit. The cover slidably fits over 80 the outer sides of the pressing irons l4 and guides them in their vertical movements.

The collar plates I 3 are shaped to correspond to the shape of their respective pressing irons l4 and are adapted to support corners or points of collars 23. The plates l3 are supported on extensions 24 of blocks 25 sliding in guiding tubes 25. The latter are curved over the top of the table I and extend downward to the pedal frame I 9. The blocks 25 are slidably fitted on curved rods 21 'held by their-inner ends in plates 28 fastened in the tubes 26. Springs 29 are supported on the curved rods 21 and tend to keep the plates l2 away from the box l4. The plates 28 have slots for chains 30 attached by their ends to the blocks 25 and passing over pulleys 3| supported on shafts 32 at the points of joint between the upper curved portions of the tubes 26 and their lower vertical portions. The chains are connected to rods 33 fastened at their lower 5 ends to the inner ends of pedals 34. The outer ends of the pedals are hinged at 35 to brackets 35 supported on the base plate 3. The pedals 34 are placed side by side with the pedals I! so that one operator can use both these pedals while sitting on a stool in front of the machine, or he can press both pedals at once by one foot placing it between the pedals.

The tubes 36 have slots 31 for the extensions 24. The curvature of the tubes 33 in their upper portions is such that the plates in their inoperative or outer position extend at an angle upward in order to facilitate placing collars 23 over the pointed ends of these plates.

The ironing or pressing blocks l4 normally remain in their lower position by gravity. Springs 38 may be also provided between the bars l8 and the frame ll in order to accelerate the downward movement of the blocks l4 after they have any desired number of them may be provided with their pedals at the sides of the corresponding die or block l4 and plate I3 assemblies. The ends of the plungers 46 are pointed and are used for supporting points of sewed collars for their inversion when held by the raised points of the plungers against cylinders 41 slidably fltted in the ends of stationary brackets 48 mounted on the table I. Springs 43 tend to push the cylinders outward. Blunt ends may be provided on similar plungers ill for round collars.

The operation of my machine is as follows.

As many operators may be stationed around the machine as there are operative units, so that six men can work on the machine shown in the drawing. Two men work' on the inversion of collars and use the plungers 46 and 50 with their pedals 39.

A collar 23 is placed on the end of the plunger 46 or 50, depending on whether it is sharp pointed or round, and the corresponding pedal 39- is depressed thereby clamping the collar against the cylinder 41. The collar can be then inverted in order to place the seam inside. The inverted collar is given to the next operator for pressing. The presser mounts the collar on the end of the plate l3 and depresses both pedals 34 and H. The pedal l'l raises the corresponding pressing iron l4 as shown at the right in Fig. 2 while the pedal 34 causes the plate l3 with the collar to move into the slot II on top of theplate 5 which is maintained hot by the electric heater 6. The operator then shifts his foot to the pedal 34 releasing the pedal [1 so as to allow the block or bar It to be moved down by the spring 38 thereby pressing the iron 14 against the collar 23. The iron l4 has been previously heated by the contact with the hot plate 5 so that the collar will be pressed by the spring 38 between two hot surfaces. At the expiration of the required time the operator shifts his foot-to the pedal i1 and releases the pedal 34. As a result, the iron [4 becomes raised and the plate I3 with the collar 23 becomes withdrawn into the exposed or inoperative position for removing the pressed collar.

The operation of inverting collars requires less time than their pressing so that one operator with one plunger can supply inverted collars to two pressers. For this reason the machine is preferably provided with twice as many pressin units as inverting plungers. The operator may use both his feet if he sits on a stool in front of the machine, although it is quite convenient to use butone foot for operating both pedals II and 34. Y

I claim as my invention:

1. A machine for pressing collars comprising a table, a block on the table, means to heat the block, a plate adapted to mount a collar, a tubular guide supported on the table, the upper'portion of the guide being curved and extending outwardly from the block, the lower portion extending downward, means to support the plate by the guide, the curvature of the guide being such as to cause the plate to be rigidly inclined upward in the outer position in the guide and to be placed on the block in the inner position, a flexible member extending in the guide from the plate support, a pedal at the lower end of the flexible member, the plate support being adapted to be moved by the pedal through the flexible member, means to guide the flexible member in the tubular guide, and means to press the collar against the block when the collar is placed on the block.

2. A machine for pressing collars comprising a table, a block supported on the table, a plate on the block, means to heat the block, a die on the plate conforming to the shape of a collar, a pressing iron slidably fltted in the die, means to manually move the iron, a cover attached to the upper side of the die, means to guide the outer portion of the iron by the cover, a pointed member adapted to support a collar, means to manually place the member with the collar on the plate between the sides of the die, and means to press the collar by the iron against the plate, the cover having an opening for the insertion of the collar. L

3. A machine for pressing collars comprising a table, a block supported on the table, a plate on the block, means to heat the block, a die on the block conforming to the shape of a collar, a pressing iron slidably fltted in the die, means to manually move the iron, a cover attached to the upper side of the die, means to guide the outer portion of the iron by the cover, a pointed member adapted to support a collar, means to rigidly support -the collar supporting member at a distance from the block with the point of the member in the raised position for mounting the collar, and means to manually place the supporting member with the collar on the plate between the sides of the die.

4. A machine for pressing collars comprising a table, a block supported on the table, a plate on the block, means to heat the block, a die on the block conforming to the shape of a collar, a pressing iron slidably fltted in the die, means to manually move the iron, a cover attached to the upper side of the die, means to guide the outer portion of the iron by the cover, a pointed member adapted to support a collar, a curved guide extending from the block to the outer side of the table, means to slidably support the collar supporting member on the guide, means to manually move the collar supporting member on the guide for placing the collar onthe plate when the iron is raised, and means to retrieve the collar supporting member in the outer position, the guide being adapted to rigidly support the collar supporting member in the outer position with the point of the supporting member raised for mounting the collar.

5. A machine for pressing collars comprising a table, a block supported on the table, a round plate on the block, means to heat the block and means to manually move the collar supporting members on the guides for inserting the members into the openings in the cover and placing them on the plate, the guides being adapted to hold the covers in the outer position with the points 5 raised for mounting the collars.

STEPHEN STADUB. 

